C4T #4

Post #1

I posted a comment on, "What kids know and can do or just how they compare to others," on"Dangerously! Irrelevant" by Mr. Scott McLeod. He said that parents care more about how their students compare to other students in the state and nation than to what they actually know and can do. He posted a link to "Taking Stock of Unbridled Learning Results" by Doc. H. This report talks about school report cards comparing schools in Kentucky to other schools in the nation. He relates this to his statement that parents, even though they don't understand the state test scores they just want to know how their child compares to others. I told him that I am a student in Dr. Strange's EDM310 at the University of South Alabama. I also told him that I am a parent of two girls, one in the third grade and one in the sixth grade. On the comment I told him that I care more about the education they are receiving than what scores they make on the FCAT. I’m not worried about how they compare to other students. I worry about how much they know. I want them to do their best and learn everything they can to prepare them for the future, not if they can test well. I hope that their school and teachers will teach them the most up-to-date information they will need to know.

Post #2

I posted a comment on, "Is Computer essay grading groundbreaking?," on "Dangerously! Irrelevant" by Mr. Scott McLeod. The quote basically stated that grading using technology for essay writing is the same as humans that are underpaid and overwork. He also had a link to the blog he got this from called "for the love of learning" on the post, "Ravitch: Should Computers Grade Essays?" This originated from the blog post, Diane Ravitch's blog,"Should Computers Grade Essays?" I told him that my name is Amanda Rice and I am a student at the University of South Alabama in Dr. Strange's EDM310. I also told him that it is sad to think that students would get the same test scores from using a grading system as they would being graded by humans that didn't really care. I asked why students would even try. I said that I read in a link that he added that gifted students who think out of the box would be penalized. This makes me said. I ended my comment by saying that I want to be a teacher that encourages students and not just teach them enough to get by.